Staff Profile

Career Summary

Biography

Laureate Professor Aitken’s research career began with a PhD in reproductive biology from the University of Cambridge. Following post-doctoral positions at the Institute of Animal Genetics, University of Edinburgh and the University of Bordeaux, he accepted an invitation to join the World Health Organization in Geneva, where he managed two WHO task forces within the Human Reproduction Unit. In 1977, he joined the Medical Research Council’s Reproductive Biology Unit, University of Edinburgh, to establish a research group in gamete biology with clinical outreach into male infertility. In 1992, John was awarded an Honorary Professorship within the Faculty of Medicine of Edinburgh University and 1998 he received an ScD degree from the University of Cambridge in recognition of his research contributions to gamete biology. In the same year he moved to the University of Newcastle, NSW, as Chair of Biological Sciences and, later, Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Biotechnology and Development. John has published over 480 research articles, given more than 350 invited lectures and filed 12 patents. His work has been cited >16,000 times (h-index of 69), the highest citation index in his field. Since arriving in Newcastle he has generated >$37 million in research income and has been continuously funded by both the ARC and the NHMRC.

Examples of professional awards include the Walpole prize (Society for the Study of Fertility) in consecutive years (1986,1987), the Puvan Memorial Lecture (Royal Malaysian College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology) Bruce Stewart Memorial Lecture (American Society of Reproductive Medicine) the Amoroso lecture (the most prestigious award offered by the Society for the Study of Fertility) the Jennifer Hallam Memorial Lecture (Family Planning Association of the United Kingdom) and the MJ Edwards lecture (Australian Birth Defects Society). In 2003 he gave the Lloyd Cox Memorial oration to the University of Adelaide, and in 2004 delivered the Founders Lecture (the most prestigious award offered by the Society for Reproductive Biology) at a combined meeting of the SRB and the Endocrine Society of Australia in Sydney. In 2005 he received the ST Huang-Chan Memorial Medal from the University of Hong Kong, was appointed a Laureate Professor by the University of Newcastle and received the 2005 Scientist-of-the-Year award from the Hunter Medical Research Institute. In 2006 he delivered the Keynote Address to the American Society of Andrology meeting in Chicago and a Plenary Lecture to the Fertility Society of Australia. He also presented a Keynote Address at the 2007 Frontiers in Bioscience Symposium, to celebrate the 120th anniversary of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong. In 2009 he delivered the Inaugural Dame Anne McLaren Memorial Lecture at the Fertility 2009 Congress in Edinburgh and in 2010 was selected to present ‘The Yanagamachi Lecture’ to the University of Hawaii and the ‘IJA lecture’ (the most prestigious ward offered by the European Academy of Andrology) to the European Congress of Andrology in Athens. In 2012 he received the Simmet Prize, the highest honour bestowed by the International Congress on Animal Reproduction, at the ICAR meeting in Vancouver, presented the Ian Johnston Memorial lecture on behalf of the Fertility Society of Australia at their annual meeting in October and was named as the NSW Scientist-of-the-year. At an international meeting in Okinawa last year he was also elected Chairman and convenor of the 12th International Symposium of Spermatology, which will be held in Newcastle in 2014. He has also been elected a Fellow of both the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Australian Academy of Science and is currently President of the International Society of Andrology.

John Aitken is on the Editorial Boards of 8 journals at the present time and he is also Chairman of two Scientific Advisory Boards in the healthcare sector.

Qualifications

Doctor of Science, University of Cambridge - UK, 22/07/2000

PhD, University of Cambridge - UK

Master of Science, University of Wales

Bachelor of Science, University of London

Research

Research keywords

Fertility regulation

Gamete Biology

Infertility

Reproductive Sciences

Research expertise

My area of expertise is cell biology and biotechnology with particular emphasis on reproductive science. I am Director of the PRC for Reproductive Science as well as the ARC Centre of Excellence in Biotechnology and Development.

In recent years my focus has been on the cell biology of mammalian germ cells, particularly the male. This interest extends from the fundamental molecular mechanisms that regulate the differentiation of male germ cells in the testes to the development of clinical improvements in our capacity to diagnose and treat male infertility. My laboratory has pioneered the proteomic analyses of spermatozoa and oocytes and has just released the first inventory of proteins comprising the human sperm proteome into the public domain. We have also been instrumental in developing techniques for the identification of spermatogonial stem cells and in defining key elements of the developmental niches that both preserve these cells stem cell status and drive some of their daughter cells to differentiation and the ultimate morphogenesis of spermatozoa. The functional maturation of spermatozoa in the epididymis and their subsequent capacitation in the female tract have also been a key point of interest for our laboratory. In the course of these studies we have proposed novel models for the control of mammalian sperm function based on the selective the partitioning of key proteins into lipid rafts on the sperm plasma membrane. Clinically, we have pioneered the notion that oxidative stress plays a key role in the aetiology of defective sperm function as well as DNA damage in the male germ line. These studies have lead to new developments in the treatment of such patients that are now beginning to enter clinical practice.

Fields of Research

Code

Description

Percentage

111400

Paediatrics And Reproductive Medicine

50

060100

Biochemistry And Cell Biology

35

060699

Physiology Not Elsewhere Classified

15

Memberships

Committee/Associations (relevant to research).

Scientific Advisory Board - Hunter Medical Research Institute

Co-Director - Priority Research Centre in Reproductive Science

Editor - ARC Centre of Excellence in Biotechnology and Development

Scientific Advisory Board - Andrology Australia

Scientific Advisory Board - CSIRO /CRC for the Biological Control of Pest Animal Species

Co-Director - Mothers and Babies Research Group

Editorial Board.

Editor - Molecular Human Reproduction

Editor - Andrology

Editor - Spermatogenesis

Editor - Reproductive Biomedicine Online

Editor - Asian Journal of Andrology

Editor - Journal of Andrology

Editor - Reproduction

Learned Academy.

Fellow (Australian Academy of Science)

Fellow - Royal Society of Edinburgh (Royal Society of Edinburgh)

Fellow - Society for Reproductive Biology

NHMRC Committee

Member - Project grant committee

Appointments

PresidentInternational Society of Andrology

01/01/2013

Professor of Biological SciencesUniversity of Newcastle (Australia)

01/09/1998

Laureate Professor University of Newcastle (Australia)

01/05/2005

Awards

Honours.

2007

Honorary Professorship University of Edinburgh (United Kingdom)Honorary Professorship, Faculty of Medicine, University of Edinburgh, one of the most prestigious Medical Faculties in the world.

The Jennifer Hallum Memorial LectureFamily Planning Association (United Kingdom)The Jennifer Hallum Memorial Lecture.
Most prestigious annual lecture awarded by the Family Planning Association of the United Kingdom, presented at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, London.

2006

The 2006 Keynote Address to the American Society of Andrology, Chicago. From proteomics to peroxidatAmerican Society of Andrology (United States)Most prestigious lecture given at the Annual meeting of the American Society of Andrology

2005

2005 Scientist-of-the-yearHunter Medical Research Institute (Australia)Awarded the 2005 Scientist-of-the-year Award for Research Excellence by the Hunter Medical Research Institute.

Lloyd Cox OrationUniversity of Adelaide (Australia)The 2003 Lloyd Cox Memorial Lecture. Annual Oration to the Faculty of Medicine, University of Adelaide. The male germ line and its part in our downfall

Amoroso LectureSociety for the Study of Fertility (United Kingdom)The 1998 Amoroso Lecture. The human spermatozoon-a cell in crisis? The most prestigious annual lecture awarded by the Society for the Study of Fertility. Presented at University of Glasgow, UK

University of Catania PrizeUniversity of Catania (Italy)University of Catania Prize, Scientific Committee, Faculty of Medicine. University of Catania, Italy.

Recognition.

2013

NSW Scientist of the yearNew South Wales Government (Australia)NSW Scientist of the Year

Research Award.

2013

The Simmet PrizeInternational Congress on Animal Reproduction (Australia)The Simmet Proze is awarded once every 4 years to the researcher who has made the greatest contribution to assisted reproduction in dometstic animals

2011

Excellence in Innovation Newcastle Innovation (Australia)Excellence in Innovation award presented by Newcastle Innovation, the commercialisation arm of the University of Newcastle

Walpole PrizeSociety for the Study of Fertility (United Kingdom)Walpole prize Society for the study of Fertility
Henderson, C.J., Hulme, M.J. & Aitken, R.J. (1987) Development of a contraceptive vaccine: antibodies to a 32 KDa polypeptide from the porcine zona pellucida prevent human gamete interaction in vitro. Society for the Study of Fertility Annual Conference, University of York.

1986

The Walpole PrizeSociety for the Study of Fertility (United Kingdom)The Walpole Prize Society for the Study of Fertility for paper entitled: Cellular basis of defective sperm function and its association with genesis of reactive oxygen species by human spermatozoa. Annual award for best paper submitted to teh Society.

Invitations

Keynote SpeakerCentre for Reproduction and Genomics 5th Annual Colloquium, University of Otago, New Zealand (Keynote Address)

NuSep: a biotechnology company based in Sydney who are commercializing an electrophoretic sperm isolation device developed by John for assisted conception purposes in man an animals

IVF companies: IVF Australia, Fertility First, Hunter IVF and Westmead Fertility Centre, partners in the development of novel approaches for the diagnosis and treatment of male infertility

Bayer-Schering-Pharma: this company has developed Sptrx KO mice (sperm specific thioredoxins) which are now being analysed by John’s research group.

Bayer Healthcare: John is Chairman of the Menevit Scientific Advisory Board and advises the company on the development of antioxidant therapy for male infertility

CellOxess, New Jersey: collaborating on the development of antioxidant formulations for treating equine infertility

Hunter Valley Equine Research Centre are partnering the Aitken laboratory in a research initiative designed to develop novel methods for the diagnosis of infertility in Thoroughbred stallions.

Harness racing Australia are partnering the Aitken laboratory in a research initiative designed to deliver improved methods of extending and cryopreserving semen from Standardbred stallions.

CONRAD (Contraceptive Research and Development Branch of the US Agency for International Development): partnering the Aitken laboratory in the area of contraceptive development

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation: partners in the development of novel approaches to contraception and the control of sexually transmitted disease.

Administrative

Administrative expertise

I am Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Biotechnology and Development, Co-Director of the Priority Research Centre in Reproductive Science and Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of Newcastle. I am a member of the University of Newcastle Research Portfolio Committee, the Biomedical Research Fund Committee, the Faculty of Science and IT Research Committee and the Executive of the School of Environmental and Life Sciences.

Teaching

Teaching keywords

Biotechnology

Cell Biology

Reproductive Biology

Teaching expertise

The emphasis of my teaching activities has been in the area of postgraduate teaching particularly with respect to the supervision of Honours, MSc and PhD students. I am co-ordinator for the MSc-by-research degree offered by the Faculty of Science and IT. I have also participated in the teaching of biological sciences at 1st, 2nd and 3rd year levels. Currently, I lecture to first year biology students and assist in the delivery of a 3rd year course on Reproductive Physiology.

Aitken RJ, Curry BJ, 'Life and death in the germ line: apoptosis and the origins of DNA damage in human spermatozoa.', Principles and Practice of Fertility Preservation, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 101-113 (2011) [B2]

Buntschoten H, Hepp E, Aitken RJ, 'Anti-sperm monoclonal antibodies useful in the development of an immunocontraceptive vaccine, their specificities and in vitro contraceptive activity', Modern Approaches to New Vaccines Including Prevention of AIDS, Cold Spring Laboratory Press, New York, USA 31-36 (1993)

Aitken RJ, Richardson DW, Clarkson DW, 'Assessment of the fertilizing capacity of human spermatozoa', In Vitro Fertilization and Donor Insemination, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, London 275-284 (1985)

Aitken RJ, Templeton A, Schats R, Best F, 'Methods for assessing the functional capacity of human spermatozoa; their role in the selection of patients for in vitro fertilication', Fertilization of the Human Egg in Vitro, Springer Verlag, Berlin 147-165 (1983)

Aitken RJ, Gibb Z, Mitchell LA, Lambourne SR, Connaughton HS, De Iuliis GN, 'Sperm motility is lost in vitro as a consequence of mitochondrial free radical production and the generation of electrophilic aldehydes but can be significantly rescued by the presence of nucleophilic thiols', Biology of Reproduction, 87 1-11 (2012) [C1]

Van Duin M, Polman JEM, Verkoelen CEH, Aitken RJ, 'Cloning and characterization of the human sperm receptor ligand ZP3, evidence for a second polymorphic allele with a different frequency in the Caucasian and Japanese populations', Genomics, 14 1064-1070 (1993)

AITKEN RJ, WEST KM, 'ANALYSIS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN REACTIVE OXYGEN SPECIES PRODUCTION AND LEUKOCYTE INFILTRATION IN FRACTIONS OF HUMAN SEMEN SEPARATED ON PERCOLL GRADIENTS', INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANDROLOGY, 13 433-451 (1990)

AITKEN RJ, CLARKSON JS, 'CELLULAR BASIS OF DEFECTIVE SPERM FUNCTION AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH THE GENESIS OF REACTIVE OXYGEN SPECIES BY HUMAN-SPERMATOZOA', JOURNAL OF REPRODUCTION AND FERTILITY, 81 459-469 (1987)

AITKEN RJ, RICHARDSON DW, 'MEASUREMENT OF THE SPERM BINDING-CAPACITY OF THE MOUSE ZONA PELLUCIDA AND ITS USE IN THE ESTIMATION OF ANTI-ZONA ANTIBODY-TITERS', JOURNAL OF REPRODUCTION AND FERTILITY, 63 295-& (1981)

AITKEN RJ, 'CHANGES IN PROTEIN-CONTENT OF MOUSE UTERINE FLUSHINGS DURING NORMAL-PREGNANCY AND DELAYED IMPLANTATION, AND AFTER OVARIECTOMY AND ESTRADIOL ADMINISTRATION', JOURNAL OF REPRODUCTION AND FERTILITY, 50 29-36 (1977)

Aitken RJ, Baker MA, 'Label-free proteomics as a tool for understanding the role of post-translational protein modifications in cell physiology: Insights into the regulation of sperm function.', Academic Journals, University of Western Cape, (2012) [E3]